Solitary
by Dior Crystal
Summary: Aizen and Ulquiorra's relationship has always been complicated. But that's alright. A collection of short stories on AiUlqui. Part of a 100 Theme Challenge. REQUESTS OPEN. Yaoi, shounen-ai.
1. Alone

**Theme #1: Alone**

_Pairings: AIULQUI, GrimmUlqui_

* * *

Aizen Sousuke had always been alone.

Even when he was a Shinigami residing in Soul Society, surrounded by other Shinigami and people who admired him, he was alone. No one understood him, nor did anyone try – they merely accepted what was right in front of them and did not bother to delve deeper, to understand. One of the people who admired him the most, Momo Hinamori, though she was constantly in his presence, did not understand him, blinded only by what she saw. Even when Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tousen left Soul Society with him, he felt lonely. And again, even though he now resided at Las Noches with his followers, he still felt lonely.

But this loneliness never really bothered him. He was used to it.

He knew that he was different, and that he would always be alone. That suited him just fine.

Now, however, it seemed that this feeling of loneliness was growing each and every passing day he lived at Las Noches. He did not really understand it at first, but after awhile, he had pinpointed the root of the problem, which came in the form of his Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer.

The first time he met Ulquiorra, he only saw the Arrancar as a tool to be used for war. Ulquiorra was obedient and powerful – he was the perfect subordinate. However, as time passed, he started noticing things other than the Arrancar's obedience and power. He noticed the way Ulquiorra walked with perfect grace. He noticed the way Ulquiorra's uniform hugged his body. He noticed that Ulquiorra's eyes were a deep shade of emerald, and that if one's eyes were sharp enough, one would be able to catch glimpses of emotion that would occasionally flicker in them. He noticed that Ulquiorra's skin was flawless, like porcelain. He noticed how Ulquiorra would purse his lips slightly every time the Arrancar was irritated, and that on rare occasions, the faintest hint of a smile would blossom upon them. He noticed that Ulquiorra was beautiful, and that, like himself, Ulquiorra was lonely.

"A-Aizen-sama..."

"Shh..." Aizen pressed a kiss against the Cuatro's sweaty forehead, rubbing Ulquiorra's hips comfortingly. "Relax."

"Haa..." Ulquiorra panted, digging his nails into Aizen's bare back, trying to counter the pain that he was feeling. "Y-yes, Aizen-sama."

Ulquiorra always did what Aizen told him to. Not once did the Arrancar disobey him. At least, to his knowledge. He had liked that about Ulquiorra. And as he had got to know Ulquiorra more, he found that they had a lot of similar interests. They liked the same books, the same food, they shared the same opinions on a lot of matters, they even liked the same type of _tea_. Aizen also found that he liked the air of calmness that Ulquiorra carried. Whenever he requested for Ulquiorra's company to simply have a chat, the silences were not uncomfortable. The silences were a nice type of silence. Relaxing. Really, he liked – or dare he say it, loved? – everything about Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra always knew what was on his mind. Ulquiorra understood what he felt. Ulquiorra knew exactly what to do to please his master. Whenever he spent time with Ulquiorra, the loneliness he felt would evaporate. He felt understood. But the more time Aizen spent with Ulquiorra, the more Aizen had come to hate the first thing about Ulquiorra that made him like the Arrancar in the first place.

And that was Ulquiorra's obedience.

All Aizen had to do was to ask, and Ulquiorra would immediately fulfil that wish for him. If he wanted tea, Ulquiorra would prepare tea for him. If he wanted company, Ulquiorra would keep him company. If he wanted breakfast in bed, Ulquiorra would bring it to him. If he wanted someone to go for a walk with him, Ulquiorra would walk with him. Anything he wanted, Ulquiorra would do it for him.

He should be happy to have such an obedient subordinate, shouldn't he?

But he was not.

Because, you see, even though Aizen was the one who held the Arrancar at night; the one who had touched and tasted him; the one whose name Ulquiorra would always cry out; the one whom Ulquiorra would do anything for; the one whom Ulquiorra would give his life for; the one whom Ulquiorra respected; the one who kissed him... Aizen was still alone. Very much so. This fact had hit him hard when he found marks on Ulquiorra's body that were not his work. The earlier happiness that he had felt was immediately dashed away, leaving him once again, with loneliness. Upon interrogation, he had found out that those marks were made by none other than his Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. And that, Ulquiorra was no longer lonely.

The night that he had found that out, Aizen was more rough on Ulquiorra than usual, only stopping once Ulquiorra had passed out. He still remembered the look of exhaustion on the Cuatro's face, the bruises, the blood that stained the bed sheets, and the guilt that plagued him.

Though he was the one Ulquiorra would do anything for should he ask for it, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez did not even need to tell Ulquiorra to do things in order to have him show the Sexta affection.

Grimmjow did not need to tell Ulquiorra to kiss him – they gave each other kisses. Grimmjow did not need to tell Ulquiorra to keep him company – the both of them would seek each other. Grimmjow did not need to tell Ulquiorra to smile for him – a soft smile would always blossom on the pale Arrancar's lips whenever he was in Grimmjow's presence. Grimmjow did not need to tell Ulquiorra to _love_ him – Ulquiorra already loved him, they both loved each other. And Aizen was also willing to bet that Ulquiorra did not shrink away whenever Grimmjow attempted to touch him.

Seeing this had made him realize how overwhelmingly different Ulquiorra's relationships with the both of them were. Grimmjow was his lover. Aizen was... his master.

Aizen just wished, that for once, just once, Ulquiorra would look at him the same way the Cuatro looked at Grimmjow.

He should have known, really, that Ulquiorra was involved with Grimmjow. The looks that those two kept giving each other... How could he have missed them? Or was he simply in denial, unable to accept that their relationship would never be anything more than one between a master and his subordinate?

So, even though he was the one holding Ulquiorra in his arms, Ulquiorra was still out of his reach. Ulquiorra was too far away for him.

Aizen Sousuke had always felt lonely.

"Good night, Ulquiorra..." Aizen said as he brushed raven hair away from emerald eyes. "Sleep well."

But he had never felt more lonely than he did at that very moment.

The Arrancar flinched ever so slightly at his touch. "Good night, Aizen-sama."

And he hated it.

* * *

**DIOR:** My first AiUlqui short story - I'm so happy xD To start off this collection, I chose to go with an AiUlqui theme that we're all familiar with, but with a different take. Since this is a collection of short stories, updates will be random. Genres, ratings and worlds (AU or IU) will vary as well. Each short story will be completely _unrelated_ to each other unless stated, and will be less than 2K words.

Also, **REQUESTS ARE OPEN**. Feel free to request as many as you want, as long as it's AiUlqui (or UlquiAi, if you like that). I can't promise that I will write each and every request since I'm busy, but I will try. So don't get mad if I don't write your request, k? ^^; Reviews are appreciated.

**Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine.**


	2. Birthday

**Theme #2: Birthday**

_For empurple aka ViceIt_

* * *

_Some time had passed since Aizen Sousuke had entered Szayel Aporro Granz's laboratory, but not a single word had passed the brown-haired man's lips. And when Szayel asked what it was that Aizen-sama needed, Aizen merely shook his head and told Szayel to carry on with his research, then stood silently in a corner. This, of course, confused Szayel, who had expected Aizen to issue him an order of some sort. Szayel did not question him, though, and carried on with his research. After listening to the riffling of paper and watching the pink-haired scientist go through his notes for several minutes, Aizen decided to speak._

"_Szayel?"_

"_Yes, Aizen-sama?" Szayel said, not even looking up from the piece of paper that he was holding._

"_Do you know what Ulquiorra likes?"_

"_Other than carrying out his duties, Aizen-sama?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Well..." Szayel paused for a moment, the expression on his face resembling one deep in thought. He looked up from the paper and tapped a finger on his chin, trying to recall Ulquiorra's interests. It was not easy, since Ulquiorra was a very private person, but he managed. "When he is not carrying out his duties, I notice that he sometimes reads," he said slowly. "He trains. He often star gazes, goes out for walks..." As he listed out each thing that Ulquiorra liked or liked to do, Szayel put up a finger to keep count. "... He sometimes draws, but it's rare to see him do that. I think he only does it when he is truly bored. He writes, not that I've seen any of his writing. He seems to have taken a liking to bats - I've seen him read about them often, but that shouldn't really come as a surprise. Now, what else...?" Szayel furrowed his eyebrows. "Oh, and he is fond of chocolate." _

_The last part caught Aizen's attention. He raised an eyebrow, and spoke, disbelief lacing his voice, "Chocolate?"_

"_Yes," Szayel said confidently. "Whenever he gets the opportunity to go to the Real World, he looks for chocolate."_

"_... I see." Even if Aizen did not say anything, Szayel knew that the man did not quite believe him. __Aizen digested this new piece of information silently. After a moment or two, he spoke again, "Thank you, Szayel. I believe that is all."_

"_Very well, Aizen-sama." Szayel nodded. Just as Aizen pulled the door out of the laboratory open, Szayel asked, "If I may know, why did Aizen-sama inquire about Ulquiorra's interests?"_

_Aizen stopped in his tracks, his back to Szayel. Szayel noticed that his Lord's hand tightened ever so slightly on the door handle. Yet another pause reigned. Then..._

"_I have decided to reward Ulquiorra for being a faithful follower," came Aizen's reply before he pulled the door open wider and stepped out. "That is all."_

"_Very well, Aizen-sama." Szayel bowed his head. "I am sorry for questioning you." Aizen gave him a brief nod, then walked away, putting distance between himself and the laboratory. As soon as Aizen was out of earshot, Szayel muttered under his breath, "'Reward for being a faithful follower' my perfectly sculptured ass," perfectly aware of the looks that Aizen constantly gave Ulquiorra whenever the Cuatro was not looking, and knowing full well that Ulquiorra's birthday was just around the corner. _

And, just like Szayel had predicted, Aizen Sousuke stood outside of Ulquiorra Cifer's room right on the Cuatro's birthday, feeling totally and utterly ridiculous as he held a box with a bow on it in his hands.

_Chocolate_, Aizen repeated the word Szayel had said in his head, a hint of sarcasm in his inner voice. _Chocolate? Was he serious?_ _He wasn't pulling my leg now, was he? _The sarcasm and doubt grew, along with the feeling of ridiculousness. _I simply cannot imagine..._ He sighed, running his fingers through his hair out of pure nervousness and in an attempt to tidy up his already tidy hair.

The hallway was silent, and though his expression was as calm as always, he was painfully aware of the fact that his heart was pounding hard against his chest. This scene... It was almost laughable. _Aizen Sousuke getting nervous over a thing such as this?_ He scorned himself. _How uncharacteristic_. He ought to be ashamed. This was just Ulquiorra, after all. A subordinate, nothing more. And it was not like he was not familiar with this Arrancar. He took a deep breath, trying to slow down his fast beating heart, raised his fist, then knocked on the door several times. _I just hope that Szayel is right_.

Footsteps could be heard approaching from the other side of the door. Aizen waited patiently as the door was pulled open slowly, revealing a slender, raven-haired Arrancar. The moment Ulquiorra raised his large emerald eyes to gaze into brown ones, all thought about staying calm flew out of Aizen's mind.

"Aizen-sama?" Ulquiorra intoned, not letting the surprise show in his voice or expression.

Silence.

Ulquiorra tilted his head.

When Ulquiorra did not get any response from Aizen, he said, "Is there anything you'd like, Aizen-sama?"

Aizen's mouth had gone dry. There it was again. That strange, unfamiliar feeling that he had recently developed for Ulquiorra. It would often come over him whenever Ulquiorra was around. It was a feeling that made it difficult for him to think. It was not an unpleasant feeling, but it was not all that pleasant either. He did not know what this feeling was, he just knew that if he did not speak, he would look like an idiot. So Aizen cleared his throat, opened his mouth, ready to speak, and yet, unbelievably, the words that he had rehearsed in his mind to say to Ulquiorra did not come out. Not one word.

"Do you wish for me to do something?"

Again he tried. Still not a single word.

Now, Ulquiorra was looking rather perplexed. It was rare for Aizen to personally come calling for him, and it was even rarer for the man to be tongue-tied. He furrowed his eyebrows. "... Would you like me to make you some tea?" he asked, knowing how fond his master was of the drink. "Or would you like- Huh?" Ulquiorra blinked, staring at the box that Aizen had suddenly pushed into his hands. "What is this-"

"It is a gift from me," Aizen said shortly, having found his voice. He tried to sound as calm as possible, though his heart was beating fast once more. "For being a faithful Espada."

If Ulquiorra looked confused before, he was now not only confused, but also surprised. "I..."

"Go on. Open it."

Ulquiorra did what he was told. When he lifted the lid of the box, revealing the treats inside, Aizen did not miss the way Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly at the sight. Ulquiorra put the lid back on, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"Thank you, Aizen-sama." The Cuatro bowed, then gave him a small smile. "It is a very thoughtful gift."

Aizen stared. Oh, dear. If just looking into Ulquiorra's eyes was enough to render him speechless, Ulquiorra's smile just made his brain stop functioning. That _smile_. He had never seen it before. It...

"I must thank you in some way."

... If possible, it...

"Is Aizen-sama still up for the tea I offered?"

... It made Ulquiorra look even more adorable.

A faint shade of pink blossomed on Aizen's cheeks at the thought. Whether Ulquiorra noticed it or not, he did not know, because the Arrancar did not make any comment on it. If Ulquiorra was not saying anything so as not to embarrass him, he was thankful, else he would have melted into a puddle of embarrassment.

"Aizen-sama?"

"Ah, no, thank you, Ulquiorra," Aizen replied. He averted his gaze, not used to the feelings that just being in Ulquiorra's presence bubbled within him. It was a strange feeling. Or rather, a mix of feelings. Nervousness, happiness, a fluttering feeling in his heart... It was all rather foreign to him. Oh, goodness, he hoped that he was not getting sick. Perhaps he ought to see a doctor after this... "There is no need. I think I should take my leave. I hope you'll enjoy the gift."

"I am sure I will," Ulquiorra said, still smiling that smile. A smile that was just for him.

Oh dear.

"Hn." Aizen looked away, his face growing warm. "You should get some rest. It's late. You must be tired."

"... Are you sure you don't want the tea?"

Aizen nodded, still not looking at him. "Quite."

This was the first time that his master had never turned down the offer for tea, so Ulquiorra stared at Aizen for a moment or two, surprised, before bowing his head. "Yes, Aizen-sama. Good night. I will see you tomorrow, then."

Aizen closed his eyes, the sound of the door being slowly pulled close incredibly clear to his ears. Oh, who was he kidding? Of course he wanted something. So he spoke before he could change his mind.

"Ulquiorra?"

The creaking sound of the door being pulled close stopped. Ulquiorra poked his head through the gap between the door and wall. "Yes?"

"Actually, there_ is_ something that I'd like."

"What is it, Aizen-sama?" Ulquiorra pushed the door open and stepped out, as ready as ever to fulfill his Lord's wishes.

"Ah..."

Well, it was now or never. Aizen took in a deep breath, and breathed it out. Ulquiorra waited patiently while his master tried to put his request into words.

Aizen, though he was aware of how stupid it sounded, said, "I would like a kiss on the cheek."

Ulquiorra stared at him.

"What?" Aizen said, trying the best he could to sound nonchalant. "You asked me what I wanted." He frowned slightly. "If you don't want to-"

To his credit, the Cuatro got over his shock rather quickly. Ulquiorra shook his head. "No, no. You just surprised me is all." He took two steps towards Aizen so that he was now standing directly in front of his master. "Please forgive me if I angered you."

"Of course, of course..."

"Thank you." Standing on tippy toes, Ulquiorra placed his hand on Aizen's shoulder, then gently pressed his lips against Aizen's cheek. Ulquiorra allowed the kiss to linger for a few seconds before pulling back. "And thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "For remembering my birthday, Aizen-sama."

For the rest of the day, to say that Aizen Sousuke felt happy was a gross understatement.

Aizen felt like he was on cloud nine.

* * *

**DIOR: **Thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter! Was supposed to release this earlier, but my net died. :( Oh well. Aizen is so difficult to write. Thought I'd introduce some AiUlqui fluff since the majority of AiUlqui fics are angsty. Loosely based on an RP my Ulquiorra had with his Aizen, as requested by empurple. Reviews are appreciated.


	3. Opinion

**Theme #3: Opinion**

_For Hybrid-Sunshine_

* * *

Smooth. Porcelain. Unblemished. Perfect. These were the words that Aizen Sousuke used to describe Ulquiorra Cifer's skin. Ulquiorra's skin, in his opinion, was the Arrancar's most attractive physical trait.

Perhaps some would say that it was not, that it was far too pale, but Aizen begged to differ. It had captivated him from the start, from when Ulquiorra was first born, and Aizen had held him in his arms for the very first time, welcoming the young Arrancar to Las Noches. No matter how briefly he had held Ulquiorra, the touch, the feel of it, it remained with him. That pale skin, to him, it was perfect. The shade of it made the owner look delicate, but that was far from the truth. Even after a battle, Ulquiorra's skin would remain flawless. Not a single bruise or wound would mar it, cut it. What would it be like, to run his fingers once more over that perfect skin? To caress it, to hold it, to give it heat, to make it flush a wonderful shade of rosy pink. To... mar it.

Just the thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Do not get him wrong. He had no emotional attachment towards Ulquiorra - he still viewed Ulquiorra as a tool for war. He just could not help finding that skin of his so intriguing. Every now and then, Aizen would find his eyes drawn to it, as though it was a magnet.

Even now, with Ulquiorra so close, Aizen had to do all he could not to let his eyes wander. It would be ridiculous of him to get distracted by such a minor thing. A man such as himself could not afford to waste his time over such a trivial-

Excuse me?

Aizen paused in his speech momentarily, causing the Espadas gathered around the table to look up at him – all except one.

He pursed his lips.

Why was Grimmjow staring at Ulquiorra like that?

Giving his head a light shake, Aizen continued with his speech but was once again distracted when he caught sight of Grimmjow and saw cerulean eyes roam Ulquiorra's body freely, brazenly.

Seeing that made something that was not unlike annoyance spark within him. The edge of Aizen's lips twitched ever so slightly as a predatory look took over Grimmjow's eyes, gaze still fixed on Ulquiorra.

Just seeing that made him feel like spilling Grimmjow's blood. Every single drop of it.

He was going to have a talk with Grimmjow after the meeting. Mark his words.

And have a talk with him, he did. Aizen had always considered himself to be a very patient man – after all, if he was not patient, he would not have gotten this far into his plan. But somehow, today, his patience was hardly even there. He supposed that most of the Espadas – except, of course, Grimmjow - sensed this because they did not dare let their attention waver during the meeting. It was like his patience was spread too thin, and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez insisted on stretching it, stretching it to snapping point. Every single time Grimmjow cast a look Ulquiorra's way, Aizen could feel his patience stretch even more.

It took all he had not to behead Grimmjow right then and there.

So when he was sure all of the Espadas finally left the Meeting Room and that only he and Grimmjow were left in the room, Aizen cleared his throat.

"Grimmjow."

Grimmjow bowed in a sign of respect. "Yes, my Lord?" The tone of his voice, however, said otherwise.

"We have a matter to discuss." Grimmjow was silent, waiting for Aizen to continue. Aizen took sure, steady steps towards Grimmjow, his hand on the hilt of Kyouka Suigetsu. It was just too easy. All he had to do was to draw his zanpakuto out and bring it down upon Grimmjow's bare neck to end the Sexta's life. He did not do that, though. Instead, he just stopped when he was directly in front of Grimmjow. "It's about your attention during meetings."

Grimmjow remained silent still.

His face did not betray his emotions as he reached down, grasped Grimmjow by the chin and forced him to look up at him.

"I do not appreciate it when subordinates let their attention wander," he intoned, his other hand slowly sliding his zanpakuto out of its sheathe. Cerulean eyes widened slightly at that action, but Grimmjow said nothing. "Just what, exactly, is so fascinating about Ulquiorra Cifer that you insist on not paying attention?"

He pulled his zanpakuto out completely, slicing it swiftly through the air, the tip of the blade gleaming under the light. Aizen pressed the blade against Grimmjow's throat.

"Speak."

Grimmjow licked his lips first before speaking. Aizen listened to him with disinterest, pressing the blade against flesh, threatening to draw out blood every now and then. It did not matter what Grimmjow had to say – he had already decided that he would kill the Sexta for his impudence. Besides, he knew that every single sentence that came tumbling out of Grimmjow's mouth were excuses. Every single one of them. He was not blind – he knew the way Grimmjow had looked at Ulquiorra. Did Grimmjow really think that claiming he hated Ulquiorra would convince Aizen? That look was predatory, and it said that it wanted to dominate, to possess Ulquiorra.

As if he would ever allow Grimmjow to do such a thing.

"Hmph." Aizen sneered slightly, running the blade across Grimmjow's neck teasingly. Impudent. He applied a bit more pressure on the blade. Brash. Blood leaked out of the tiny wound created. Weak.

A lone droplet of blood fell to the floor.

How fragile.

Pathetic.

He definitely would not allow such a being to possess Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra was, after all, _his _Cuatro Espada. Anyone else possessing him would be absurd.

... Of course, Grimmjow was free to possess Yammy if he wanted to.

And Barragan.

And Zommari.

And Aaaruuniainijkdj- however his name was spelt.

Ah, right, what was Grimmjow talking about now? So far, Grimmjow had ranted about how much he hated Ulquiorra and that he had absolutely no reason to look at him, that Ulquiorra was stuck up, that Ulquiorra was ugly (_Grimmjow can be so amusing at times_)_, _that he was staring at the wall... Excuses. Just when was Grimmjow going to stop talking? He wanted to slit the Arrancar's throat already, but before doing so, he had to at least appear like he was a just leader that listened to his subordinates before striking them down.

"... The only thing attractive about him are his eyes!"

_That_ brought Aizen to attention. He fixed Grimmjow with a cold stare. "I beg to differ."

"What?"

"I think that Ulquiorra's most attractive feature is his skin."

Grimmjow looked at him, confused.

"His skin," Aizen went on to say. "Emphasizes his beauty."

Once Grimmjow was able to comprehend the words that were coming out of Aizen's mouth – surprising as they were - he shook his head. "Nah, it's his eyes."

"Excuse me?"

"His eyes are his best feature."

... _Oh?_

Aizen narrowed his eyes at him. "Skin."

"Eyes."

"Skin."

"Eyes."

"Skin."

"Eyes."

"Skin."

"Eyes."

Aizen pursed his lips for the second time that day.

"Alright, if you're so sure, then why don't you tell me why you find his eyes so attractive?"

Grimmjow chuckled.

"What?" Aizen said irritably.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're jealous that I stared at him."

Aizen paused.

_Jealous...?_

The word struck a chord in him, made him think, that maybe, just maybe-

_Ridiculous._

He shook his head, ridding himself of such thoughts and scoffed, though he did feel a bit uneasy on the inside. "Just answer the question."

A lopsided grin appeared on Grimmjow's face. "Well..." Grimmjow began.

And so began a long debate on just why exactly Ulquiorra's eyes or skin were his best feature. Grimmjow stated that Ulquiorra's emerald eyes lit up his otherwise expressionless face, that it showed emotions that his face never would – in those emeralds were a swirl of emotions, they brought life to Ulquiorra. Those eyes, their colour, they were captivating. They were a shade of green, so deep, so rare to see on anyone – they were like jewels, unique. Those eyes, the way they analyzed things, they were penetrating. They saw everything; they were not fooled by lies. Those eyes, they were windows, to understanding just who Ulquiorra Cifer might really be under that stoic exterior. Aizen listened to all of these things that Grimmjow presented to him. While he could not deny that Ulquiorra's eyes were indeed beautiful, he shook his head, and stood by his opinion.

Ulquiorra's skin was his most attractive trait.

"His skin," Aizen said calmly, watching droplets of blood drip down Grimmjow's neck. "Is the most captivating." He smirked. "A mere being like you would never understand. Its shade, it makes him look delicate, precious, but at the same time, it's strong, able to hold its own. The soft glow that it casts under a moonlit night - it makes him look serene. His skin is always flawless, just like him, and it remains unblemished even after a battle." Drawing close, he whispered, his voice so low that Grimmjow had to strain his ears in order to hear. "Have you never envisioned, ever thought about how it would be like to run your fingers across that skin? To feel its warmth?" His voice grew with each word he said. "To send shivers running down it? To turn it into a beautiful rosy flush?"

"Uh... My Lord?"

But Aizen continued to speak.

"To lend your warmth to that skin."

"Lord."

"To mar it... to mark it."

"... _Lord_."

"To..." The smirk on Aizen's face grew. "Taste it."

Just then, Aizen heard someone clear his throat.

Annoyed that someone dared to interrupt his little speech, Aizen turned to look at the source of the annoyance, to snap at that person, but when he saw who it was, his eyes widened. Ulquiorra Cifer was standing in the corner of the room, with an extremely disturbed expression on his face. Aizen had forgotten that he had asked Ulquiorra to see him after the meeting to discuss his latest mission.

Swallowing hard, Aizen spoke, his lips dry, "Just... how long have you been there?"

"... Long enough," was Ulquiorra's curt reply.

Aizen wanted to die.

* * *

**DIOR:** Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is to write Aizen? e.e And I swear "Solitary" is becoming more of a AiUlquiGrimm collection x'D Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this. Sorry for the lack of updates! Real life kind of sucked me in orz. Reviews are appreciated.

Also... I don't like being the bad guy here, but since I've been having this problem, I have to say it: **Please don't harass me to write for you**. It will only make me feel less inclined to write your request. Thank you.


	4. Part 1: Fate

**Theme #4: Fate (PART ONE)**

_Set during Ulquiorra's time as a Vasto Lorde_

* * *

Ulquiorra pressed the palm of his hand against the trunk of a quartz tree, barely able to support himself. If he had a mouth, his breathing would come out as ragged breaths.

He was so tired. So very tired.

Beads of sweat slid down his body as he leaned his forehead against the tree, exhausted. Sweat, dirt and dried blood covered his form of white, marring its perfection. It had been days now since he was born. Days since he had killed his "comrades" – could he really call them that, though? Even though they were Vasto Lordes just like him, they _did_ try to kill him – and days since he had been trying to get away from others just like them; violent, hungry beings, they were.

Raising his hand to his line of vision, Ulquiorra quietly studied the latest wound that he had acquired – it was a rather deep gash that cut across his arm. Blood dripped down his arm and fell upon the forest floor in crimson droplets, forming a small pool of red below him. Even with such a large wound, he felt nothing. No pain, not even a sting. Just... nothing. He curled his fingers, forming a fist, tensing his arm. More blood flowed, trickling out of the open wound steadily, and still nothing.

... But that, of course, was to be expected.

Even when his own kin had turned on him, he felt nothing. No feeling of betrayal, anger, sadness... just... a void. All there was in the midst of those battle cries and blood was the need for survival.

He would not let himself be killed so easily.

Using what little reiatsu that he had, Ulquiorra healed his wound, the flesh joining together as though sewn by an invisible thread.

_Trash_, Ulquiorra thought.

By right, he should not even be wounded. The other Vasto Lordes that he had been fighting earlier were beneath him.

But he was tired.

He had gotten careless. And it resulted in him getting injured.

Pushing himself upright, Ulquiorra was about to look for a cave to rest his weary bones when a shadow came over him.

He did not need to look back to know. None of the lower Hollows were foolish enough to approach a Vasto Lorde, even an injured one, with killing intention.

They had found him again.

* * *

Ichimaru Gin yawned as he stretched his arms above his head.

"This is boring," he complained.

"Well, then you should not have come," Aizen responded simply. "Tousen was more than willing to accompany me."

"Yeah, well..." Gin pouted. "There're even less things to do at Las Noches. I'd rather go off looking for them critters-" Critters, being the Hollows "-than to sit around with Barragan all day. That guy's no fun. Tousen's no better. Justice this, justice that, justice here and there. It gets boring."

True. Las Noches was rather dull. Not that Aizen was going to let Gin know that, of course.

With steady steps, the two shinigamis calmly walked across the desert sand, leaving footprints behind as they made their way to the forest, to where most of the Hollows dwelled. Small, lowly Hollows shrunk away from just the feel of their reiatsu. While this reaction that they seemed to elicit from the majority of lowly Hollows amused Gin to no end, it did not affect Aizen in the least. He could only see his goal.

So far, he had managed to gather a handful of Hollows that were willing to join his army – the majority of them being Gillians and Adjunchases. Most of them were rather agreeable, save for one which he found to be rather impertinent. Not that it mattered, of course. So long as they did what they were told, he did not really care.

Perhaps today he would be able to encounter something more interesting than an Adjunchas. A Vasto Lorde. Aizen smirked. Another Vasto Lorde would do nicely.

* * *

Everything was a blur.

It was a flurry of attacks. One after another Ulquiorra delivered, sending more enemies down. It was difficult, what with the state that he was in, but he somehow managed to hold his own. All around them were Hollows of all types watching the battle that was presented to them. Lowly Hollows, Gillians, Adjunchases... They were all roaring, cheering. Cheering for his death. Some of the braver Adjunchases even leaped into the fight, wanting to join in. Hollows were savage creatures – they loved fights. Vasto Lordes were no different. At least, these weren't. They eyed Ulquiorra as though he was a piece of meat, smirking.

"How long do you think you'll be able to keep this up, you little squirt?" one of them laughed. "How long?"

There were just two Vasto Lordes, but Ulquiorra was having a difficult time because on top of his state, he was getting overwhelmed.

_Long enough, _was Ulquiorra's thought as he raised his arm, ready to fire a cero at the offending Hollow.

He refused to die.

But then something happened. The crowd surrounding them quietened. Finding this odd, Ulquiorra furrowed his eyebrows and made a mistake of turning to look at what had gotten their attention.

It happened almost instantaneously.

The moment Ulquiorra turned to look and caught sight of two humans walking through the now parted crowd, he felt a clawed hand being shoved through the flesh in his back.

"...!" Ulquiorra's eyes widened in shock.

Blood gushed out. The arm that now stuck out of the wound, dripping red, twisted and shoved, trying to elicit pain from Ulquiorra.

"How does that feel?" his attacker said. It pulled its arm back and dug its clawed fingers into his flesh. Ulquiorra's pupils constricted at that. "Good, ain't it?"

All this, while the Hollows and the humans watched.

"Time for you to die, little one."

_Troublesome._

Closing his eyes, Ulquiorra was ready to pull away from his attacker to fire a cero at it. A green cero formed at his fingertip, glowing, ready to be released should he command for it, when he felt himself being pushed forward. Sand got into his eyes when he hit the ground, and by the time he got them out of his eyes, he was breathing hard and fast as he watched the spectacle that had taken place before him. Placing a hand over his open wound, Ulquiorra used his reiatsu to close it up again, wincing.

"Eager creatures, aren't you?"

The brown-haired human had stepped forward, surveying the Adjunchases and Vasto Lordes before him calmly. He drew out his zanpakuto. "Let's see if you can best me."

It did not take long for him to annihilate them.

Once it was all over, the man nudged an unconscious Vasto Lorde with a foot. A sigh. "How disappointing," he stated, before sheathing his zanpakuto. "I was expecting a bit more of a fight."

That said, he turned around and approached Ulquiorra. He did not show any of sign of wanting to hurt him, and for some reason, Ulquiorra did not pull away, even though he had many reasons to do so. In the few seconds since he had known him, the human had shown that he was dangerous. Ulquiorra merely watched, his emerald eyes reflecting nothing, no hint of an emotion, not even fear, as the man drew closer, just like how he had watched when the man rendered his comrades unconscious.

When the human was finally in front of Ulquiorra, he stopped.

Silence reigned. Gazes were kept locked. Neither moved.

"Ey, ey," the other human said. This one had silver hair and a fox-like face. He neared his brown-haired companion. "You two aren't gonna stare at each other all day, are ya? That'd be borin'."

When his question went unanswered, he looked at his friend, then at Ulquiorra, then at his friend, and then at Ulquiorra again. At that, it all clicked into place in his mind.

"Ahh, this one, Captain Aizen?" he said, tilting his head as he examined Ulquiorra. Silver hair swept across his closed eyes. "But he's so tiny! He would have died if ya didn't save him. Don't even know how he got past Adjunchas... Do ya really think that he'd be able to stand his own ground in the army?"

"Of course," the one named Aizen finally spoke, his voice smooth. "I have no doubt about it. Besides, this is no ordinary Hollow, Gin, you know that."

Gin pouted. "Fine, fine... Take the tiny Vasto Lordy." He yawned. "I'll go ask those other two Lordies if they'd like ta join yer army as well, if ya haven't killed them already."

_His name... Aizen, is it?_ Ulquiorra took no notice of Gin as he swept away, and instead paid attention to Aizen, eyes taking in every feature on his face.

Aizen spoke once more. "Would you like to join my army, Vasto Lorde?"

He kneeled before Ulquiorra so that they were eye-to-eye.

Ulquiorra did not offer him an answer.

_This man..._

"Well?"

_... He interests me, _Ulquiorra thought.

Though it was slight, Aizen could see a nod come from Ulquiorra.

* * *

**DIOR:** Mm... There'll most probably be a part two to this one, yeap yeap. I'm not done with this lil story just yet (: Reviews are appreciated.


End file.
